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Released Chelsea defender lined up for Championship move

The former England Under-19 player is set to leave the Blues for the second time in his career, with his contract expiring this month.

Once upon a time, Sam Hutchinson was being cultivated by Chelsea as the most promising defender to come through their academy since John Terry.

Capable of playing a wide range of defensive positions, Hutchinson had been at the club since the age of 9, making a few appearances for the first team before having to retire from the game at just 21 because of a serious knee injury.

That wasn't the end of him though, after being released at the end of the 2009-10 season, Hutchinson took a year out before remarkably re-signing with the Blues in the summer of 2011, seemingly over his knee problems.

Unsurprisingly, the youngster found it hard to break into the Blues side, and went out on loan in 2012 to Nottingham Forest, before a difficult spell earlier this year alongside other Chelsea players at Vitesse Arnhem. He returned to Stamford Bridge in January before embarking on another loan spell this time at Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

Now 24, Hutchinson impressed enough to convince Owls' boss Stuart Grey to return to sign the defender when his Chelsea contract expires at the end of the month.

Gray is quoted as telling the Star: "Sam is available on a free. An offer has gone in for him. I think he's away on holiday with his family at the moment. The club are talking with his agent. I am keen to re-sign Sam."

Hutchinson will now look forward to getting a full season of first team football under his belt for the first time in his career.

Che Thomas

Che is an Englishman abroad unable to cut the apron strings tying him to the crazy world of English football. As a writer and freelance journalist, he has covered matches and cultural events from across the globe all with the intention to inform, entertain and provoke debate. Just as smitten with music, film, and photography, though fully aware of the fact that nothing takes the place of that Saturday afternoon excitement down at N17 (even when it's actually on a Sunday!)